Itanagar: Socio-Cultural Capital of Arunachal Pradesh

14 hours from Shillong by overnight APST (Arunachal Pradesh State Transport) bus was not so tiring with frequent stops for food and personal ablutions. Unlike the private services ST buses ply slow and safe on this route – one of the busiest in Northeast – Shillong-Nafaon-Tezpur-Bandewara-Itanagar. Unless you have plans to visit other places in Arunachal than Tawang, you don’t need to come to Itanagar which is the main hub for ST buses to other parts of Arunachal. At the Secretariat you can obtain ILP to any part of Arunachal Pradesh especially the newly opened circuits namely Mechuka, Tuting. From Zero Point to Ganga market there is a dozen hotels of varying tariff. After shopping around for a while we settled at Hotel Alpine (Ganga Market, dbl 550, Tel 0360 221498), cheapest and closest to APST bus station and sumo counters. Next door was Kerala Bhawan, a restaurant run by Mohan and Biju hailing from Kayamkulam who were very helpful to provide rich information. 3 rooms will be ready for accommodation at Kerala Bhawan (dbl 600, Tel 96159 28200/03) by Dec 2012. Hotel Blue Pine (dbl 800-1500, Tel 0360 2211118) is more upmarket and has air conditioned rooms.

We contacted Sabu Kurien whom I had met on my way to NE in the train two years back. Very rarely people who meet on the train make it a point to meet again – Sabu told me this when we met at the gate of NERIST, Nirjuli 15 km away from Itanagar. Sabu and wife welcomed us with a sumptuous lunch despite his busy preparation for convocation at NERIST. People who genuinely welcome just an acquaintance with such a warm heart is a rare creed. Sabu gave us a tour around 600 acre campus and told us the stories from his 27 years of life in Arunachal. The river behind NERIST between Nirjuli and Doimukh is connected by a new motorable bridge and the old hanging bridge is no more functional. There used to be a narrow gauge from New Bongaigaon (Assam) to Doimukh and the train called Arunachal Express – was used earlier to reach Itanagar using ferry service across the river. This track is under conversion to broad gauge for the last many years.

Siddhartha Vihara Buddhist Monastery is 10 min walk uphill from Zero Point. The premises lack the tranquil ambience typical at Gompas, thanks to the youngsters freaking out on the winding road and at the parking lot. State museum seem to be closed.We saw many old local men sporting interesting Hornbill headgear and long swords. Ganga market had many shops lined up with food for both carnivores and herbivores. Garbage management seems to be non-existent, visual and olfactory effect is everywhere in the town. There are many shared auto rickshaws (Rs.10) and open sumos (Rs.20) plying between Itanagar and Nirjuli apart from the buses to Banderwara and Tezpur.

There are buses from APST bus station to Along (330, 6am, 2.30pm), Guwahati (290, 6am) Bomdila (290, 6am); double check the availability and timing at the bus station as they are not reliable. There is an early morning 5am Sumo service to Guwahati Airport for Rs.1500. Private operators run Sumos and buses to different places in Arunachal. We booked our ticket to Bomdila starting at 5pm (Rs.390, 12hrs, Yatayat tours and travels, Ganga market Tel 0360 2292839) reaching next morning, runs via Banderwara-Gophur-Tezpur-Balukpong (check post) – Bomdila. Sometimes the overnight vehicles may halt at check post until 4am due to security reasons, normally the vehicles from Tezpur run only during day.  Shorter and easier route to Tawang from Guwahati is to get ILP from Guwahati or Tezpur DC office, Parvatinagar Tel 03712 220241. For more details on ILP to Arunachal click here.

Shillong- Tourism Capital of Northeast

Guwahati "super fast" express was 4 hours late and we reached Guwahati by 12 noon. Had a booking at Ananda Lodge (MN Rd, 03612544832 dbl Rs.250) but the ongoing book fair made all the rooms occupied. Sweaty Guwahati did not make us stay further. We headed to Shillong taking a share sumo (Rs.150, 4 hrs), occasional 4 lane road construction on the GS road and tree falling on the road delayed us by 30 min. We darted to Aaron's (9863115302) shop,sells hiking and fishing gear ( DD Laloo & Co. U Tirot Sing Syiem Rd, Tel: 0364 - 2502420, email: xsvadventures@gmail.com) organizes off beat activities for students and corporates. After exchanging stories of last 2 years, we checked-in at Hotel Embassy (AC Lane, near Assam Studio, GS Road, dbl Rs.650). Rooms could be kept more clean for the price we pay. Shoddy toilet and metal tasting water are deterring but cheapest in the central area. Hotel Koshi Niwas (Hira Market, Thana Rd, Police Bazar, Tel: 0364 - 2500009, 9774040289, dbl Rs.700) is not so easy to find but best value for money. If you can stand the arrogance of the management, Earl Home Holiday (Oakland road, left turn from HDFC ATM, Tel: 0364-2228614, dbl Rs 350-3000) is a nice hotel with vast car parking area, the old hotel is the typical tin sheet roofed hill station building. Relishing the street food at Center Point (chowmein Rs.10, 3 eggs Rs.20) we called it a day, after travelling for 4 days from Cochin.

Called up HVK and updated about the status. After a quick breakfast at Gupta Restaurant in the Police Bazar next to U.P.Sweet Meat, we hopped on to supplementary transport service of Shillong ( TATA MAGIC) to Mawlai from Bara Bazar to visit Don Bosco Museum (Rs.60 admn fee) - the best place to start an expedition in Northeast. A thorough tour explaining the culture and tradition of Northeast, will take two hours and the view of sprawling Shillong city and outskirts from the sky walk on top of this seven storied building is spectacular. DBCIC (9.30a.m - 5.30p.m, Mon-Sat  1.30p.m-5.30p.m, Sunday). The next door Homely Hut restaurant offers mouth watering soups and delicious fried rice/chowmein (Rs 70).

Take any taxi  or bus heading to Guwahati and get down at Orchid Lake Resort at Bara Pani, 15 km from Shillong. Nehru Park (Rs.10) is close by and Water Sports Complex is 10 min walk with an admission fee of Rs.20 and boating extra. A good location to see the magnitude of Umiam Lake and magical Lumpondeng Island at a far distance. You get a great view from the bund next to the diversion to Airport without paying any admission fee. A few boys jumping from the bridge to the river and swimming back took us back to our childhood days.

Shillong comes to a virtual stand still on a Sunday with most of the shops closed and very few transport services, as locals go to church. Spend some time at well kept Ward's Lake and visit the architecturally magnificent wooden churches at the center of Shillong city to get over a lazy Sunday. All Saints Cathedral is the most remarkable for the it's wooden beams and stained glass paintings. The bells imported from England behind the church and the electrical ceramic switches and wiring inside the church take you back in time.

Finding Arunachal Deputy Commissioner's office, Old Arunachal Secretariat building (ITBP NE Head Quarters) near Anjalee petrol pump was not effortless. ILPs (Inner Line Permit) for Bomdila-Tawang circuit and Itanagar-Ziro-Along were obtained separately. Rs.25 for each permit and two passport size photographs along ID proof photocopies. Permits are given on same day unlike Arunachal House at Dispur where it takes two days to get the permit. Booked bus tickets to Itanagar Rs.380 at the tiny counter behind Old AP Secretariat building. Surprisingly the bus driver was a Keralite. Last row seats got moved to the very first row, Megha was saying all thanks to MMTP (Malyali-Malyali-Transfer-Protocol).  A truckload of vegetables was loaded on top of the bus-an indication that vegetarian food will be more expensive at Itanagar compared to Shillong. One of our co-passengers was a cute puppy. Bedford buses plying inside the city two years back gave way to swanky JNNRUM  city buses. Accommodation prices have been hiked up despite a reduction in luxury tax from 20% to 10%.Transport is cheap if you stick to state transport buses and TATA Magic, private shared taxi charges are more than double.Food is dirt cheap at small eateries and on the street. 

Jobless Backpacker(s)

That's how I introduced myself to Megha when I met her two years back. Jobless is a state of freedom and a good state of mind provided we are prepared for it. Backpacking is a way of life rather than a way of travel. We learn to live with the basic minimum and appreciate even little creature comforts. Travel without a planned return date - there is a special thrill in that. We were planning to do this after a few years, but we learned from others health is the biggest wealth for such a trip. Luxury of time is definitely an advantage too. We start by train (of course on a tatkal ticket) on Oct  2nd from Cochin to Guwahati to explore the Northeast states in the next 3 months. ERS - GHY Tatkal ticket Rs.4144/- for 2 in 3A, distance - 3332 km.

Preparing for this trip - financial and physical fitness - was our single goal in the last two years. Dreams come true if you chase them with persistence. We intend to update this blog as and when access to an internet cafe is available. Stay tuned to know what happens to a couple gone crazy about traveling.

Kudremukha to Kainakary via Kashmir

This road trip was through some of the toughest terrains and roads which are not existing in the maps/GPS in Kashmir. If you want to drive your own vehicle, check out the details from HVK and Lalu KS at Team BHP.

Planning for a trip sounds a cliché; we are ready to roll on at any given motivation. That is what happened on Jul 20th when HV Kumar was chatting about his 'unplanned' Kashmir trip on a Friday evening. Cancelling our train tickets to Alleppey and booking the tickets to Delhi to catch up with him on Sunday afternoon was impulsive. After a few hours , we were on Sugama Travels night bus from Kalasa to Bangalore for the Sunday morning flight. Though flights don't come in our backpacking trips, it was inevitable to reach Delhi on time to board HV's Scorpio.  

To reach Bangalore Airport by late night for an early morning flight, there are Vayu Vajra (Volvo) services up to 1 a.m. from Jayanagar 4th block. Ditching the Indian Railways, we headed to BIAL and boarded Indigo flight at 6 a.m and reached balmy Delhi airport at 9 a.m. Riding the convenient and progressive metro train to Saket, we thoroughly enjoyed hospitality of my maternal uncle Saji's family. After lunch, our meeting point was New Delhi Railway Station at 3pm with Lalu and HVK- never met both of them in person but well known through social media. HVK had been a great help during my solo Northeast trip in 2010. The team set in with ease and good spirit in no time; after all strangers are friends who never met. 

Delhi
We set out from Delhi City at 4pm and after spending an hour at Sonipet fixing the oil dipstick of Scorpio, we were cruising on the highways through the northern states which I had studied in Social Science classes via Panipat-Karnal-Kurukshetra-Ambala-Ludhiana-Jalandhar-Pathankot and then heading to Jammu on NH 1A. Punjabi Dhabas are ubiquitous on Indian Highways; but relishing a meal at a dhaba in Punjab is a different experience. There are many McDonalds and fancy air conditioned dhabas  on these highways catering to the taste buds of cosmopolitan Delhites. We enjoyed our roti/chana/daal/lassi along vest-dhoti clad drivers at an authentic dhaba sitting cross -legged on a cot coiled with coir . Though we were stopped by PB and JK police displaying their flash lights on our face at the check posts, after spelling our names without a pause, they let us go.

Jammu

Apart from being the center stage of Indo-Pak political issues, communal  issues surface between nationalist Muslims from Kashmir valley and Hindus in Jammu. Checking the political situation at Jammu for bandhs and curfews is mandatory.

Jammu is 14hours from Delhi by Shalimar Express and by 2017 there will be a railway track to Srinagar crossing the world's highest rail-bridge. . We reached Jammu at wee hours of the day and met with the fifth member of our team- Rohit and his Tata Safari. We used the room he was staying at Hotel Jammu Residency (dbl Rs 600-3500) run by JKTDC (www.jktdc.co.in, Tel: 0191-2549065, Mob: 9419212451). After a shower, leaving humid and hot Jammu at the earliest was beneficial not to get lost in the floods of 'Yatri' (pilgrims) to Amarnath. After  afew hours of winding roads  we are at Patnitop JKTDC complex for breakfast. Hotel Maple (dbl Rs 1000, JKTDC) is a an ideal stay at Patnitop.

Sanasar

Our next destination was the Sanasar,  a tranquil valley 20km from Patnitop edged deep within the mountains where life slots to a slower pace. The green  meadows and mud houses of this quaint valley had been promoted to our top-shelf destination. There are plenty of buses from Jammu to Patnitop, but you may hire a taxi to Sanasar. Ashiana Guest House and JKTDC's Hotel Alpine (dbl Rs 800, hut Rs 1500) are accommodations at Sanasar; where spending two days is recommended. Horse rides are offered by the local boys around the valley which looks like a golf course with a pond at the center. After spending a few hours at Sanasar, reached Kishtwar via Batote-Doda cruising through the good roads overlooking the murky Chenab river amidst the mountains with scanty vegetations and active mining sites. We stayed at JKTDC hotel but it is not recommended, Hotel Kishtwar (dbl Rs 700-1500 Paddar Road, Zalna Tel 9797319797) is the best option; though the restaurant doesn't offer anything local. Rajma/rice/roti is the staple diet in this region if you head to a local restaurant. There are buses to bustling town of Kishtwar from Jammu but going further is possible only by local shared taxis.

Sach Pass

Going through the roads which are built and opened this year, the next day's drive can be described as the most challenging but scenic. We were safe in HVK's experienced hands through water crossings, slushy roads, water falls and steep climbs. Left at daybreak from Kishtwar taking Paddar road via  Sanskari-Karthai etc to Pangi Valley in Himachal. A newly built Buddhist Goemba was a pleasant surprise in this region. Our lunch stop was at young and dynamic Ravikanth's homely restaurant -pursuing his graduation at Jammu-let us pluck a few apples from the orchards. Crossing a few villages, apricot and apple trees lined roads, we trudged to J&K - HP border check post to Khillar in Himachal.  By this time, we had stocked two or three stones inside the vehicle and was ready to engage them on short notice to prevent the Scorpio from sliding back; learned from the situation Rohit faced while tackling a steep climb. Bhootground- named so because of the fatal avalanches  -was just gray. First time experience for Megha and I- thos huge glaciers- famous with Global Climate Change. At 4390m, Sach Pass welcomed us with  glacier walls on both sides of the road but no snow on the road. Appreciating hot tea at a small tea shop and entering our credentials at the check post, we spent some time at one of the highest passes in India. After crossing Satrundi check post, chasing a cow for almost for 15min, we reached the bucolic village Bairavgarh in Chamba valley. For the night's halt we could find basic and clean Mannat Home Stay (V.P.O Bairagarh, Tehsil Churah, Chamba, H.P, Tel: 94590 63244, 88954 33940, 985777 93722; dbl Rs 700 meals Rs 100). Rakesh Thakur arranges guided treks around these serene locations. Having shower in ice cold water at such locations is an electrifying experience- a way of acclimatization. None of us were hit by AMS as our hydration was frequent, piss stops as well.

Dead End at ITBP check post

The next morning was amazing to see the rain drenched village, thanks to the downpour in the night. Prosperous Tissa  Valley was lit brightly by the crepuscular rays. Roads were wide and the surface tarred; after breakfast our destination was Badarwah - a big town in Pir Panjal Range. After wandering through the winding roads amidst green meadows sighting herds of sheep and nomadic shepherds of Churah Valley, we reached Langera- where the public buses stop service. Another 10km further, we found a closed barricade of ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Boder Police) and learned that we have hit a dead end from where trekking with prior permission is  the only way to reach Badarwah. ITBP folks treated us with hot chai and we spent some time with them chit-chatting about the poor condition of the road work.

tatkalticket.in 

Sanasar

We got back to the main roads at Sundala- we drove along the Ravi River, clearing the confusion over the roads. Crossing a dams site in Himachal, we were back in J&K in a while. At a tricky hairpin bend, a poor mountain goat was run over by our vehicle and got stuck under. The shepherd panicked but did not cost money or a verbal abuse. I was impressed with the ribs of the goat withstanding more than 2 tons of Scorpio with luggage and passengers. If this happens in God's own country, devil's own people will cause deep hole in our pocket followed by a hartal next day. Crossing  a small but busy town Bani and the corn fields, we climbed the mountains to Sarthal- a hamlet where just a few tea shops and a temple situated. Surprisingly a large guest house was available for accommodation, but no water in the toilets; but the location was worth tolerating the filthy toilets. Tea shop owner was helpful and prepared dinner for us with a dash of stories with locals about conflicts and life in mountains. Next day morning, we were near the tiny stream with crystal clear water watching unflustered life of shepherds staying in mud houses at this paradise on earth where time stands still. Watching the Kashmiri sheep and touch and feel of their skin was a charming experience.  If you are lucky to find the caretaker of the guest house, you can stay here. Nalhati Guest House( Vinod Kumar Mob: 9858623638, dbl Rs500) on the way to Badarwah is another option which offers cozy rooms and food.  

Back to Kishtwar

Going through Chattargilla Pass through the poplar edged roads, we headed to Badarwah. Incessant drizzling did not provide any great views but the roads were not so bad with occasional landslides and under construction zones. Badarwah is a lively city with transport connectivity and banks. Brunch and data backup, then we headed to a nearby tourist location by the name Jai. Igloo look-alike studio apartments at these green pastures were something new -contact Anjil Kotwal (09419824219, 09858286176 Rs 1500) for a stay at Jai -where Snow Festival is hosted annually. Returning to Badarwah, we drove to Kishtwar via Doda.We stayed at Hotel Kishtwar overlooking the well lit-up modern prison, but dinner at the restaurant did not go well with my intestines.

Srinagar

At 6 a.m we started to Srinagar- summer capital of JK via Sinthan Pass-Daksum-Kokernag-Anantnag-Pampore. Relished the national food of India - Maggi Noodles -our breakfast at Sintan Pass (3785m), check post was noticebaly absent. Much awaited flat tire happened to Scorpio and we got the spare wheel fixed in no time. After a while the terrain changes to more alluvial plains and the houses get bigger.  Rohit bid adieu on the way and it was only Scorpio going through Chinnar trees lined roads, Jhelum River close by.  HVK reminded us about the reduction in security check points. The unfinished cricket bats hung on the road side made of willow tree was interesting. Cruising through the heavy traffic we drove along the iconic Dal Lake and Mughal Gardens and the panoramic view from Shankaracharya Temple is remarkable with details from HVK. Had a luxurious Wazwan cuisine lunch at Hotel Adhoos (www.adhooshotel.com) living up to the heritage since 1920, friendly middle aged staff helped us to choose authentic dishes - Nandroo Yakhni, Hak Saag, Mirchi Mutton, Tandoor Roti. Wallet factor was Rs 1000 for four and we realized that we were missing Rohit while pulling an extra chair for him. I never saw Lalu so happy in the entire trip, relishing the mutton curry. Running after mechanics and shop owners, we got a spare wheel in next two hours. After rushing through a few gardens and driving around the entire Dal Lake, spent the night at Hotel Malik opposite to Dal Lake (dbl Rs 1400, Tel: 0194-2473672, 990619762). 

Mughal Road (Srinagar-Jammu)

The recently opened Mughal Road from Srinagar to Jammu was the last exciting chapter of our trip crossing Peer-Ki-Gali (3490m), an excellent route which drives through a dense forest with a population of red assed monkeys. Many girls going to school showed the importance given to girls' education in this region. Some parts of the road were so close to Pakistan that we got Pak FM in our car radio. We reached the sweaty Jammu and got fixed the headlight switch assembly with the help of HVK's friend Ajay Wali who insisted on treating us with a lunch. 

Amritsar

By night, we were struggling through the Punjab traffic and railway crossings to get to Amritsar for a glimpse of the Golden Temple. HVK's sense of humor made this drive even more enthralling. The volunteers at this largest Sikh temple was a humbling experience and sitting at the lake and gawping the reflections of temple till 11p.m was really relaxing.  A long all night drive to Delhi was exasperating for all of us, left us dizzy at the morning when we reached HPTDC hotel at Sonipet.

Konkan (Monsoon) Railways

Taking shared autos to border and then to Jahangir Puri, we were back to Saket for a day's rest and a nap. Keeping up the legacy of tatkal ticket, we booked one to Ernakulam and boarded Mangala Lakshadweep next morning escaping narrowly from one of the world's largest power crisis. Our train had changed to a diesel engine in Maharashtra when the power outage worsened. After 3D/2N chugging through the numerous tunnels and bridges of Konkan Railways, rain soaked Western Ghats was in alluring hues of green and I was romancing with Indian Railways. We reached home on Aug 1st, just in time to watch the preparations for Nehru Trophy boat race at Kainakary.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” - Mark Twain

Kudremukh Peak Trek

 

Kudremukha is not there in the tourism map yet, but it is definitely a trekkers' paradise. A treasure in Western Ghats-one of the wettest places in Malnad region. Kudremukha is getting more importance now, KSRTC has started Airavat class service to Kalasa - a small town 20km before Kudremukha National Park. KIOCL (Kudremukha Iron Ore Company Limited) was once the biggest employer of this region. Later this mining company was closed due to environmental issues. When you drive through the national park you will see the remains of the erstwhile factories and staff quarters on both sides of the road.

Kalasa is the town where one should stay to get public transport or hired taxi, auto easily. Thotadur Yatri  Nivas is a well run budget hotel with rooms Rs 300-700 (Tel:08263- 274699, Mob: 094480 07014) with basic clean rooms with squat toilets and bucket shower. Hot water shower is available between 6am-8am. For a serene family home stay with authentic Malnadu vegetarian food Upasana (Tel: +91 8263 249288, Rs 2000 per day per person including meals) is the best choice for a very tranquil stay  Ask for Sukumar Shetty's house after turning left at Samse junction 8km from Kalasa town. Upasana has been renovated extensively with an artistic touch to each room. Check http://www.upasanaretreat.com for more details. Ask the host for a spot of Yoga, if you are keen.

For trekkers, there is an ideal choice at Mullodi- Rajappa's Mullodi House (Tel: 08623-249333, 9481179008, 9483983324) located at the base of Kudremukha Peak trekking trail. You can reach his house by hiring a 4WD jeep from Kalasa for Rs 500. It would be two hours walk from the main road where there is a big signboard "Trekking path to Kudremukha Peak". If you are sharing a seat with others, pay Rs 100 per seat for one trip. Rajappa will arrange forest permits for Rs  275 per head.

We started on Jan 26th at 4:30am from JP Nagar, Bangalore. NICE road from Kanakapura to Peenya and taking NH4 to Nelmangala. Turn left at Nelmangala to NH48 towards Haasan via Kunigal. Turn to Belur road at Haasan and follow NH234 via Mudigere. State Highway via Khotigehara to reach Kalasa. We reached Kalasa by 11am. After lunch and a short nap, we visited Sukumar Shetty and Leena at Upasana and they were so happy to meet 'Joseph from Kerala' after 3years. We were chatting about different topics under the sun and Sukumar is a charm to listen to his stories from life. Leena made sure we were fed coffee and snacks and later a sumptuous dinner.

 

Next day, at 6:30am we started from Yatri Nivas to Rajappa's house. After breakfast, we started trekking at 8:30am. Hire a guide, as you may get lost on this trail. Every mountain, stream, valley look alike. The trekking trail is not so wide and smooth. Rocky path may hurt your toes badly. Scorching sun can hit you -carry a sun block and hydrate yourself with water and electrolytes. Whenever we crossed a stream, we filled our water bottles with water. After crossing a multitude of valleys we reached the peak by 12noon. After having the upma packed by Rajappa's family we took rest for a while inside the forest listening to the Cicadas' music. At 6214 ft, Kudremukha (horse-face) peak overlooks Chikmagalur, Uduppi districts.

This part of Western Ghats is blessed with evergreen rainforests and wildlife is not so common. Aravind, Aditya, Nicholas trio was part of our group with the guide Keshava. He was happy that we were relatively fast enough though we took occasional breaks to relish some dry fruits and nuts. We started back at 2pm and descending was equally demanding. We spent some time gazing at the ruins of a church built by British. On the way, we met Rajappa's first wife's father with a herd of cows. He was our guide for a while as the other trio decided to stay back at the bank of a small stream on the way. We reached the base at 5:30pm and hot coffee was waiting for us. After a fitting dinner and two hours of rest, we started back to Kalasa on a 4WD jeep at 8pm.

 

Sleeping early at 9pm did not require any extra effort after a 7hours (16km) trek -one of the most difficult trek in Karnataka.  A good 8 hour sleep recuperated us from the body ache. Saturday, we spent the morning driving through Kudremukha National Park visiting Lakya dam, Gangamoola and Hanumangundi waterfalls. At 12noon, we started back to Bangalore.

Bhutan -The Last Shangri-La

Why Bhutan? Answer is 'luxury of time' that you will not experience in any other place. Embracing Gross National Happiness with higher priority than GDP, Bhutan is the one of the best international backpacking trip you can do without a deep hole in the pocket at Rs 1800 for two per day. Bhutan does not welcome backpacker style tourism and any foreign tourist need to pay a fixed $250 per day - includes your stay, transport and food-tour should be through an tour agent. Only Indian and Bangladeshi nationals are permitted to do self organized tour in Bhutan.

Read http://www.bhutannica.org/ to know more about Bhutan.

Day 1- Arrive at Phuentsholing from Siliguri and obtain the permit and stay overnight.

Day 2- Phuentsholing to Paro. Visit Dzong, Stroll around the town.

Day 3 - Taktshang Goemba and nearby monasteries.

Day 4- Paro to Thimphu. Walking tour of Thimphu and Takin Preserve

Day 5 - Pangri Zampa, Dechenphu Lhakhang, Tango and Cherri Goemba

Day 6 - Return to P/ling. 

Permit: Indian nationals don't need a visa, but need to obtain a permit at the border crossing point- Phuentsholing next to the Indian town Jaigaon, West Bengal. New Jalpaigudi (NJP) is the railway station nearest to Jaigaon which is 4hours by road. This permit is only for 7 days and Paro and Thimphu are accessible by this. Route permit for other restricted areas and route extension can be done only at Immigration Office at the capital city - Thimphu. To obtain a permit, you need a photocopy of Indian Govt. ID and address proof (Driving License, Passport, Voter's ID Card) and one passport size photograph. There are no fees for the permit and this will be ready in 30 minutes on a working day until 4pm. This permit will be asked at any hotel you stay and need to be stamped at immigration checkpoints on the way.


Currency: Bhutanese currency Ngultrum (Nu) is pegged at Indian Rupee. Rs is widely accepted in Bhutan except 500 and 1000 notes. Convert your 500/1000 notes at Phuentsholing or before to 100s. There is a Druk PNB (Punjab National Bank) ATM at P/ling and Thimphu. You can withdraw cash from this ATM in Nu from your Indian bank account without any foreign currency conversion charges. But be aware server outages can happen and carry cash enough from P/ling.


Food: Staple diet of Bhutan is beef and pork with rice and meatatarians will have no dilemma. Potato and beans are available at most of the hotels for vegetarians. But if you travel to Central Bhutan, you may be left with only the National food - Ema Datse- two dozen green chilies cooked in cheese. Yes, chilly is the one and only item in this dish.


Train & Bus: From any part of India, you can take a train to NJP in Siliguri city - the corridor to Assam. Direct Bhutan buses start from Burdwan road in Siliguri to Phuentsholing at 7am, 12noon, 2pm. You can also board a bus to Jaigaon or Hasimara from Siliguri bus stand (next to Silguri Railway Station). Take a shared auto from Jaigaon to Phuentsholing border crossing. Start by the first bus if possible so that you reach P/ling before 3pm to get your permit the same day.


Travel in Bhutan: Book your tickets one day in advance as the buses start in the morning. There are fixed bus routes inside Bhutan which are long distance Toyota Coaster buses. Comfortable for a day trip and make sure your backpack is secured on the top carrier of the bus and covered by silpaulin sheet to protect from rain and dust. The first row seat is not recommended as there will be lot of parcels around you. If you have motion sickness, Bhutan is not for you. AMS (Altitude Mountain Sickness) may hit you above 3000m, so keep yourself hydrated when you travel in Bhutan. The highest mountain pass Cheli La is at 3810m and you will cross many mountain passes at 3400m.

Things to remember: Batteries drain faster at temperatures lower than 15C. Remove the battery and keep close to your body in the night. AMS (Altitude Mountain Sickness) might hit you even at 3000m, keep hydrated and go slow when you are on the hiking trails. Grab a copy of Bhutan Lonely Planet from flipkart.com - knowing the history and traditions of this culturally sensitive country makes your trip more sensible. Carry a hat/sunglass and sunscreen lotion to ward off UV light and scorching sun.

 

Bangalore to Phuentsholing:
We started on a Friday night from Bangalore by Guwahati express and reached NJP after 48 hours. Relishing dosa at Chennai, biriyani at Vijayawada, rasgulla at Howrah, poori-sabji at Malda apart from the regular IRCTC meals, it was culinary cultural experience through eastern part of the sub-continent travelling 3000 km. Syed sent a box of sweets through his brother at Vijayawada, though he couldn't meet us. Many people consider train journey as a waste of time, but when we get 48 hours to spend reading, sleeping and eating - which is a break from regular routine life, it is utilized to the maximum.
At NJP, Sunday night was spent at Classic Lodge, NJP Main Road (Tel: 0353-2691673, Mob: 98323-15933) dbl Rs 600 after a shameless bargain for a basic but clean room and hot water shower- a cycle rickshaw will take you there for Rs 20. Next morning a shared auto for Rs 15 took us from NJP to the Siliguri Bus Stand. We took 9am bus to Hasimara as there was no bus to Jaigaon before 12noon. Kuttan hailing from my hometown Cherthala and running Madras Restaurant was so friendly that we forgot to pay for the breakfast! After a tough 4 hours and hoping on to a bus from Hasimara to Jaigaon (20minutes) and a shared auto Rs 20 per head, we reached the majestic border gate of Bhutan. Walked straight to the immigration office above the post office, submitted the simple application form with photocopy of the passport and photograph. 30min later, after lunch we collected the permits.


A few Rs 500 was converted from the fellow travelers on the way to Jaigaon and Akilesh at Anil Stores, Phuensum Lam, P/ling was kind enough to convert our Rs 500 notes to Nu 1000. I met him first in 2009 and he remembered me as well. He highly recommended Bumthang but warned that it might be snowing there. He gave me a copy of India Today with a report about King's wedding. After booking the tickets to Paro (Nu 198, 7 hours) at the bus station we checked in at Hotel Gongphyel (Tel: 05251660) dbl Nu650 with nice balconies and basic clean rooms. Relishing a plate of chowmein and local favorite Druk 11000 beer, we slotted into first gear for 10-day expedition of Bhutan.


Western Bhutan namely Paro and Thimphu can be visited in just 5 days. But if you want to explore the less visited Central Bhutan, count two weeks. From P/ling to Paro spending 7hours in the bus will take you altitude of 2800m. We started at 8:30am from P/ling after securing our backpacks on top of the top bus. Carry your essentials in a daypack inside the bus including a fleece jacket as the mercury might dip to single digits at Gedu. You would show your permit at the check post and get it stamped. The bus journey is the classic example of Bhutanese slow pace of life, they stop at vegetable/fruits vendors if you want to procure anything. Bus driver will stop and talk to every acquaintance with no sign of hurry. Lay back and relax, here is life with luxury of time. Peep through the window and enjoy the clouds at your feet, pine and cypress forests, tall electric towers from one mountain to another and many more… The average traffic speed is quite less and drivers don't honk perpetually, though the turns are precarious. We witnessed a truck falling from the ridge crashing the steel fence on the sides. Every vehicle on the way stopped and a few guys went down to help those in the truck.

Paro:
The airport is in Paro -an idyllic town in the valley. You get a bird's eye view of the airport on the way 15min before the town. We reached Paro by 2pm after lunch stop at Karma Hotel, Bunakha. The roads are a lot better and perpetual landslide will slow down at a few places. Paro seemed crowded and it was cloudy with occasional light drizzle at a nippy 15C. After checking in at Hotel Dragon (Tel: 08272174, Nu800), not the best but available option , we walked along the Paro River enjoying this enchanting town lined up with wooden shops and restaurants at an elevation 2280m. Hotel Peljorling is the best bet for your taste buds but you will not meet many locals here. Paro Dzong which was made famous by the movie 'Little Buddha' should be the first destination if you reach before 5pm. Spending an hour at this exemplary Bhutanese architecture will make you think differently about wheel of life. You can shop for less in Paro compared to Thimphu if you are looking for a souvenir.


Next morning, pre-arranged taxi guy showed up at 7:30 am for obligator y visit to Taktshang Goemba (Tiger's Nest Monastery), named after the legend of Guru Rinpoche flying on the back of a tigress. Pack your lunch if you can and as there is no bus service in Paro, taxi is the only way to reach here, be ready to cough up Nu500 round trip. Precariously perched at rocky cliffs at an elevation of 3180m, this monastery is most famous and expect heavy tourist crowd on the muddy trail. A heavily worn-out gradual trail starts at 2600m from the parking lot will take 1hr 45min for a cardio-fit trekking enthusiast. You will find a exorbitantly priced café after 45min and some might retire at this location which provides a view of the monastery. Hike up through the blue pine forest and streams, at 3140m you will have a spectacular photo-stop of Taktshang. You need 30min to visit the monastery in detail. When we reached back the parking lot, we were surprised to see that our taxi driver did not show up at the stipulated time. After waiting for30min, we got another taxi to return to Paro town. Drukgyel Dzong is another oft-visited place close to Taktshang, but this is not so impressive, except the fact that you will reach the dead end of the road from Paro, you might be lucky to see the snow-capped Jhomolhari mountain.


You can rent bicycles from Paro town at a rate of Nu1500 for day or Nu750 for half-day. Nights can be chilly and mercury will be single digit, pull on your down jacket while strolling outdoors and thermals for sleeping. If you want to experience mountain biking in Bhutan, Paro is a better option than Thimphu when traffic and scenic routes are considered. Thimphu is two hour bus ride, but you don't get after morning service. Book your tickets on the previous day to ensure the availability and front seats. While visiting a local family run restaurant for roti and beans, we got strong recommendation to visit Bumthang. If you have your own vehicle, drive 35km to the highest mountain pass in Bhutan -Cheli La at 3810m.


Thimphu:
A bus starting at 9am from Paro will reach Thimphu by 11am. After checking in at Hotel NT on Norzin Lam close to Clock Tower square ( Tel: 77247250- Shekhar) dbl Nu650 with room heater and hot shower. There are many options on Norzin Lam but make sure you check the room and toilets before you sign-up. If you need restricted area permit or route permit extension beyond 7 days, head to Immigration Office at the end of Norzin Lam road past Textile Museum and Duty Free shop with a copy of the permit and passport. After completing the paperwork, you can spend your time at Textile Museum, market, archery ground. A lot of eye-balls and lenses are attracted by the robotic traffic policeman at this capital - only one in the world without traffic lights. For a peaceful place at this busy city, you can head to the tranquil National Memorial Chorten and spin the prayer wheels. There are frequent buses to Motithang. Get down at Youth center and walk 4-5km to reach Takin Preserve - mini zoo which houses the National Animal of Bhuta - a combination of goat and a cow as per the legends. Frost can be found in the morning at Thimphu as early as November first week as the temperature drops to zero in the night.

 

Shared taxi to Tango and Cherri Goemba at 15km from Thimphu, will cost Nu50 for locals. Haggling with taxi drivers is a pain. Take a bus to Dechencholing and get down at the last stop. Pack your lunch, you will not see any place to eat. Next to the stop is Pangri Zampa. Walk up an hour past the huge tanks and you will reach Dechenphu Lhakhang. Come back to the junction and turn right to Tango and Cherri Goemba. Cross the bridge at Begana and turn left. It will take one hour to walk to the parking lot from D/ling. You might encounter lion tail macaque in this route. Majestic cones of snow at Jomolhari and other peaks are visible. Hiking to Tango and Cherri will take 45min each. Ride a taxi back if you don't have the luxury of time. While waiting for a taxi we talked to Dorji - a student from the monastic school. His friends were going to Pangri Zampa so they offered us a ride. Students spend 6 years at Tango then 3 years at Cherri. Then they spend in meditations for 3 years 3 months and 3days.

Back at Hotel NT, relish Saq datse/ tawa roti with Druk 11000 before returning to Phuentsholing.

Bhutan - Bumthang Valley

Want to smell the stimulative smell of pine forest and see the real Bhutan? Leave Thimphu and Paro and head to Central Bhutan. Power supply is erratic, transportation is bone-rattling. Bumthang is not for the average tourist. Best visited in summer and spring, Bumthang is colder than rest of the country and temperature can be freezing in early November; pack thermals and down jacket for Bumthang elevation at 2580m. Book your tickets to Jakar early as there is only one bus at 7am leaving Thimphu (Nu 312)

Getting up at 5am to board a bus to Jakar in Bumthang valley was more than exciting. At 6am, Thimphu bus station was crowded with travelers and vendors. I tried Thuppa which looked like rice porridge, the vendor was happy to see a 'tourist' trying out local food. Bus started at7am, switched back roads passing 108 chortens at Dochu La, Metshina, Punakha valley and Wangdue Phodrang. We reached Pele La at 3420m and there was snow all around! Phobjika Valley - legendary for black necked cranes, the glacial valley at Black Mountains slopes is a detour from PeleLa. You will see a few yaks gazing on the road side in this area. Bomilo is the only place where the bus will stop for lunch. Be ready to eat Bhutanese food- pork or ema datse for vegetarians. Ema datse here is more hot than the mild version that you get at Thimphu and Paro. Enjoying the mountain views of Black Mountains, we reached Trongsa by 3:30pm. Crossing Yotong La at 3425m, we reached Jakar after 12hours of tough ride at 7pm. Jakar was in pitch dark with no power supply.



Power supply is erratic in Central Bhutan and there might be no power for long hours, be prepared with flashlight and candles. Bhutan's export of 'excess' power to India is an overplayed slogan as half of the country is still not lucky to have electricity. This small town famous for Red Panda beer sleeps at 7pm and wakes up very late in the morning. Grab your dinner before 7pm if you are not eating at your hotel. There are a few cheapies in the town with shared bathrooms at Rs 300-500/-and mostly crowded by the Indian workers.

We checked in at Kaila Guest House(Tel:03-631219 std Nu 1500/- plus 10% tax) which is the nearest to the bus stop. This large hotel is a good place with cozy rooms and a restaurant with a bukhari-a stove made of metal with firewood as fuel. Request at the reception for the attendant who will come with a little kerosene to start the fire. Bukhari heats up the room pretty fast but don't stay for long, so get under the blanket if you are cold while the fire is up. Kuenzang at Kaila was delighted to see us from Bangalore as he spent 3 years in Bangalore doing his graduation in hotel management. Restaurant serves good though bland food catering to foreign taste buds, buffet dinner Nu 250. If you want to try out the local buckwheat noodles and Red Panda Weiss Beer with a tint of local conversations, explore any small restaurant in the town.




Squinting to the sunlight at 6am, we got ready to hike up the Pelseling Goemba. Crossing the bridge on the east side of the town climb up concrete steps to reach Namkhe Nyingpo Goemba. From here it is 3hours steep hiking up to Pelseling Goemba. There is a short cut used by cattle herds crossing two streams. Pack your lunch and spend enough time to catch up with breath on this rewarding hike through cypress and needle pine forests. After descending to Swiss Guest House, we stopped at Bumthang Brewery and met the Swiss Fritz Maurer who started this micro-brewery way back in 1980s. He introduced cheese-making, farming machinery, wood stoves apart from brewing. When you get a bottle from any shop in the town, be sure to check the expiry date of Red Panda beer as it doesn't contain any preservative and not filtered.

Next day, we moved to a cheaper accommodation -a family run guest house- Phuentsho Guest House (Nu 850 shared bathroom, Tel 03631432, mob 17670376/17578216) for a basic room with a bukhari. They have 8 rooms and another guest house is under construction. The daughter of the family did her hotel management course from Bangalore. We met Mr. Karma and Mr. Tandin who work in Ministry of Home and  Cultural Affairs. Both of them hail from Eastern Bhutan where the local language Sharchop is different from Dzongkha spoken at rest of the country. They were on duty visiting some of the Dzongs and monasteries.



We arranged a taxi to go around the western side of the Chokhor valley visiting Jampey Lakhang, Chakhar Lakhang, Khurjey Lakhang and Wangdi Choling Palace. Most of the religious places were thronged by Pundarika Pilgrimage group. Round trip cost was Nu 450. Back at Phuentsho Guest House we met with a few Americans hailing from Hawaii and working in Saudi Arabia. After lunch, Tandin and Karma offered us a ride to Tang Valley to visit the Burning Lake -known for Pema Lingpa's legend of jumping into the lake with a burning lamp. After 20km of rough ride from Jakar town, you will be at Membartsho where Burning Lake is a few minutes walk from the parking lot. Later in the evening Tandin and Karma conversed about cultural and historical aspects of Bhutan and acknowledged times are changing to modernization. Tandin offered a free call to Shekar to book a room at Hotel NT, Thimphu.

The bus back to Thimphu started at 7am and the snow capped peaks of Black Mountains were visible throughout the trip from Yotong La to Dochu La. The best views are between Trongsa to Wangdi. We reached Thimphu faster in 10hours. Next visit to Bhutan, we will concentrate on Central and Eastern Bhutan- Mongar and Trashigang. Exiting to India Samdrup Jongkhar is easier than going back all the way to Thimphu. Road less travelled always offer you more, if you are prepared!